We like to start our mornings with music videos. However, we know others like to kick off their day with the news. Our latest blog segment teams up both. Check out our 1st Rap the Match recap highlighting the La Liga battle between FC Barca + Atletico Madrid on Sunday at Camp Nou. Enjoy!

If you know a fun rapper who has some skills + can serve as the lyrical messenger for one of our upcoming Rap the Match segments, have them shoot us a line at eatsoccertv@gmail.com.

Catching one of the World Cup matches in Fortaleza? On the days when you are not cheering on your home nation at Arena Castelão, head over the World Cup 2014 host stadium’s O Espaço Cultural (Cultural Space) to learn about the legendary players and moments from Ceará Esporte Club, one of the two biggest professional soccer clubs in the region. The trophies, photos, shirts, videos and interactive exhibits will peak the interest of any soccer enthusiast. Open Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Entry fee is R $10. Closed on match days.
To have other amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experiences during your time at the tourney, order the downloadable guides, Savoring Joga Bonito: The World Cup 2014 Bucket List for Fans in either Rio + São Paulo.

What happens when three Cruzeiro supporters reunite over beer, grilled meats and music? If they are Weiller Mello, Júnior Caramelo and Gustavo Balaio, you form a pagoda band and call yourselves “Os Camisa 10.”
In soccer, the player who wears the number 10 jersey is considered the best on the team. Legends from Pelé to Ronaldinho to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have donned the number for their respective clubs.

It is with the same comparison that the trio of friends named their band The Jersey Number 10. They wanted to send the message that they always want to be the best.

We will be highlighting Os Camisa 10 along with nine other Brazilian musicians in our free download, Pelé 10: Singing Soccer which will be available in the lead up to World Cup 2014 in Brazil.

For now, check out our Savoring Joga Bonito digital bucket list guides for Rio and São Paulo, which are on pre-sale at Gumroad.

Would you be up for taking a shot on goal during a FIFA World Cup introductory ceremony? Diana Ross, the former lead woman of The Supremes, was ready to cross this feat off of America’s collective bucket list.
As the main performer for the FIFA World Cup 1994 opening ceremony, the international superstar’s elaborate choreography included her scoring a crowd-pleasing goal during the performance at Chicago’s Soldier Field. The fifty-year old’s strike was indeed one for the books. Ross’ ball went wide of the net and hit the goal post, causing the entire goal to split and collapse.

No FIFA World Cup is without a few surprises. So why would our travel guides for the big competition be any different?
Alongside the release of each installment of the Savoring Joga Bonito: The World Cup 2014 Bucket List for Fans, we will accompany it with a free Pelé 10 download. Our Pelé 10 downloads are fun lists that will help you be on top of your game as a soccer tourist in Brazil.

After playing in his first match with the New York City Cosmos, Pelé told a fellow teammate that it would be his first and last game with the club. His gifted feet had strangely turned green, and the superstar couldn’t put them at risk. Fortunately, it was quickly realized that the pitch had been spruced up with green spray paint in honor of his debut, and the color washed right off! You can learn more by watching the film Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos.

Pelé’s professional soccer debut was at age 15 for Santos Football Club. According to FIFA, it is the only club in the world to score 10,000 goals. The King of Football is responsible for scoring 1,091 of those goals.

The soccer legend showcased his musical talent by releasing a solo album entitled, Pelé Ginga.

Pelé’s friend and business partner Celso Grellet mentioned in an interview that the superstar met and befriended John Lennon while they both attended a language school in New York. Pelé was enrolled in an English class while Lennon was there learning Japanese.

Got a fun Pelé story that you want to share? We are all eyes + ears! Write it in the comments below.

Know an Atlanta area young person who wants to help their peers learn more about World Cup 2014? Eat Soccer TV is co-producing a series that will help youth get in the get in the game with the most watched sporting event on the planet. To learn more about this quickly approaching opportunity, take a look at the Huddle Up Casting Flyer.

In honor of World Cup 2014, Eat Soccer is publishing, Savoring Joga Bonito: The World Cup 2014 Bucket List for Fans, a series of digital guides tailored to soccer enthusiasts who will be heading to Brazil during and after the tournament. We enlisted insight from historians, trainers, agents, bloggers and super fans on the best places to have round-the-clock experiences with fellow football fans in every host city. And to make sure the sensory overload doesn’t take you off your game, we share safety tips from a Fluminense fan who owns a top notch security firm in Rio.
It is our goal to make sure you have a strategy maximize your once-in-a-lifetime experience at this summer’s competition.

To make it every minute of your time count, Eat Soccer will offer a few freebies to go along with each digital release. It will come in the form of a short digital download called, Pele 10. Every Pele 10 installment will cover ten people, places or things that we feel can serve you on your journey.

We know that, once you announced your trip to Brazil, people put in their souvenir requests. With our Pele 10: Suitcase Stuffers download, we introduce you to ten souvenirs that are worth packing and sharing. Take a read of one suggestion below.

For tourists who want to gift Brazilian chocolate to a soccer fan, head to a grocery store in your host city and grab Lacta’s Diamante Negro. Infused with crunchy pieces of honey and cashew nuts, the milk chocolate bar honors Brazilian soccer legend, Leônidas da Silva.

During the 1938 World Cup in France, French journalist Raymondo Thourmagem was so impressed with the performance of Leônidas da Silva that he nicknamed him Diamante Negro (Black Diamond). It was a moniker that was embraced by Lacta when they changed the name of their milk chocolate bar in 1940 in tribute to one of the country’s greatest athletes. Accompanying the name change was the slogan, “To live is good with Black Diamond it’s better.” (Viver é bom, com Diamante Negro é melhor.)

Stay tuned for more World Cup 2014 tips and extras leading up to the big competition!

Just announced today by Soccerex, English Premiere League Club Chelsea FC is teaming up with the legendary cartoon The Simpsons for an upcoming March episode that highlights the club and the sport. The episode entitled, “You Don’t Have to Live Like a Referee” will center on the recruitment of Homer Simpson as a soccer referee. Never short on star power, superstar soccer players Petr Cech, Eden Hazard, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Fernando Torres will make a guest appearance in the episode.
This collaboration extends beyond the small screen, as Chelsea FC will be featured on a line of Simpson themed soccer merchandise, promotions and content. The club joins FC Barcelona, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Corinthians, FC Porto, Juventus and Boca Juniors, who have similar partnerships with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products.

Are you looking to score during your World Cup 2014 tour of Brazil? For those fans who planned to send the message with the latest line of Adidas t-shirts, the Brazilian government wants you to know its not that type of party.
The World Cup 2014 sponsor released a new line of t-shirts that paired thongs with images of a national landmark. In response, country authorities filed a complaint in an effort to combat against sexual tourism as a selling point for the tournament’s tourists. Adidas has subsequently pulled these limited edition tees. They were only available for purchase in the United States.

Do you think Adidas' “lighthearted” messages were lost in translation? Or, do you think the brand knowingly crossed the line?

In every moment, we are granted with opportunities to take actions whose ripple effects will travel farther that we could even imagine. And, I want to celebrate how the legacy of a life saving, agricultural chemist is woven into the fabric of Eat Soccer.
Once I decided to take the first step towards my soccer dreams, I knew I needed a role model-but not just any role model-a person who personified so much passion that it became contagious. You see I had these outrageous soccer dreams, and to overcome all the unforeseen obstacles that may cross my path, it required inspiration just as great. Fortunately, I quickly found my answer with the help of a quote and a peanut.

“When you dothe common things of life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.” --George Washington Carver

The first time I read George Washington Carver’s words I knew that this would be the guiding principal for my actions on and off the soccer field. And, I began reading stories about this agricultural chemist’ fascination with the peanut. It became clear to me that, if a passion for a nut could fuel the development of over 300 products and save the livelihood of an industry, the sky was the limit as to what I could do with a soccer ball to help people.

Eat Soccer’s method for creating products and serving others with soccer is based on George Washington Carver’s blueprint for the peanut. It is a strategy that keeps our amazing partners and me on our toes to push the boundaries of where we can plug in the world’s favorite sport. However, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sometimes when I am finalizing the details of a radio interview, I receive a request from the host for a list of interview questions that I would like to be asked during our conversation. It is a great way for me to bring up a topic that many times the host would not think to ask, but I feel will be of benefit to the listeners.
In today’s post, I am going to share with you a question that would make the cut on one of my lists.

You always tell people that thoughts are powerful. What are some of the thoughts that have shaped your journey inside and outside the touchline?

Life happens in 5 seconds. It is a phrase that I use and think all of the time. When things seem to be going downhill, remind yourself that it can all turn around in the blink of an eye. I have witnessed it first hand in situations where multiple defenders are closing down on me and it looks like they are going to win the ball. However, I kept tracking the ball, and came out with the possession. Off the field, there have been times where a door of opportunity appeared to be closing only to unexpectedly fly back open.

Success is an overnight stopping place on the way to greater success. I can’t forget this quote from my granddaddy even if I tried. He repeated it to me thousands of times when I was growing up. And for me, it has become a constant call to keep building on my accomplishments because there is always something else out there to reach for. On the field, it drives me to keep finding new places and harder competition to train and play with.

The only faith you need is your own. Have you ever felt like you needed to prove something to someone but it kept being so hard? Maybe you wanted a coach or teammate to believe in your abilities but it just wasn’t clicking for some reason. I’ve been there, and one lesson that I quickly learned is that others can easily see when you don’t have faith in yourself. When you decide to focus on and grow the faith you have in your abilities to accomplish a goal, you literally attract the people and opportunities that will get you on your way. And, it will not matter who believes in who you are and what you can do because you know that you are destined to make it.

Have FUN on the way to your goal. This recurring thought has taken the burden off me to feel like my dreams are up against time. I remember once I was in a bookstore just looking at books only to receive an unexpected phone call with an invitation to participate in a soccer clinic in Bermuda. Now this wasn’t something I knew about, and it dropped itself on my lap. There have been times that I have stressed about the hows, whens and whos of getting to my goal. But, I find when I do my part of preparing for my goal then I should turn my interest to other activities that bring me joy. Oddly enough, the next step on my goal journey always seems to find me.

Do you have some thoughts that have shaped your goal journey and/or accomplishments? Feel free to share them in the comments below. Also if you like the image included in this post, it is from the Eat Soccer greeting card line. You can take a look of our starting 11 Valentine's Day cards.

It only takes one move to carry you from the field to the sideline. For me, it was a simple turn after taking a shot on goal and hearing an unforgettable ACL snap.
The lead up to a journey of surgery, doctors visits and physical rehabilitation for each athlete may differ. However one thing is the same, you are not in the game. And, what you decide to do with this time away will shape the player who returns.

Although the change in your daily schedule can be a hard adjustment, it is important to recognize that in every setback there are seeds of opportunity. Player development can take many forms. And, when you are on the sidelines, you have the chance to give attention to improving the small, but invaluable, aspects of your game. Here are five proven ways you can continue improving your skillset.

See the Game from a Different Perspective: Ever wonder what the coach sees when you are out on the field? Seize the moment to hop in their shoes and coach a youth team. Whether the players are four or fourteen, I guarantee this experience will give you a new perspective of your own game.

Pay it Forward: At times, we get so wrapped up in our athletic pursuits that we tend to forget about our other talents. Why don’t you put some of these skills to good use or develop some new talents by donating a few hours to a local soccer organization. Going behind the scenes to help with the administrative duties at a youth club or using a bit of your creativity to generate support for a soccer cause can introduce you to a possible career path after you hang up your cleats.

Scouting Players: Does watching games make you antsy? One way to avoid that is to change your perception and use your soccer vacay to scout teams and players. Watching YouTube videos and live matches of all skill levels can help introduce you to new moves and ways to get an edge on the competition.

Reacquaint yourself with the Ball: The beauty of soccer is that we get to use so many parts of our body. Therefore when one body part is healing, you have other several others that you can work. My best friend will be the first to tell you that, while my left leg was strapped in a brace, I would sit in the bed and juggle a size one ball with my right foot. It was a true test of will but I made it a fun game and it improved my touch on the ball tremendously.

Got any other ways we can stay in the game while injured? Feel free to share them in the comment section below!

Holiday season can be nerve wracking when you are at a loss for gift ideas. But if your list includes a soccer fan with a penchant for reading love stories, I may just have the answer to your prayers.
Enter Rebecca Crowley and her digital novel, The Striker’s Chance.

Published in September of this year, The Striker’s Chance gives us a peek into the lives of Holly Taylor, a publicist seeking to land a contract with North Carolina’s newest soccer team, and Kepler "Killer" de Klerk, a former European league star who is restarting his career at the same club…

With a cover that can make you appreciate the value of a good abdominal workout and an intriguing storyline highlighting the beautiful game, I decided to reach out to the author for a bit of insight on the book.

How did you come up with the concept for the book?

RC: Whenever I watch sports I find myself really emotionally investing in the players as well as the outcome, and wondering about their lives off the pitch. At one point I found myself thinking about how difficult it must be for young Premiership players to move to England from remote places all around the world, usually with very little proficiency in English, and how strange and isolating that must be. Suddenly the hero, Kepler, was born - a man from an industrial seaport in South Africa whose skill on the pitch takes him all over the globe.

Did you employ any unique research methods for character development? If so, what were they?

RC: I tried to read a lot of interviews and articles about players' methods off the pitch, from being scouted to what they do in the locker room before kickoff. I frequently turned to The Secret Footballer in the Guardian (a British newspaper). It's a tell-all column written by an anonymous Premiership player and it's fascinating stuff!

I also looked at a lot of photos of Spain's 2010 World Cup team. Fernando Torres, Cesc Fabregas, Iker Casillas... I owe [those] fine-looking gentlemen a huge debt of gratitude! ;-)

What lessons can young publicists take away from the story?

RC: Poor Holly, the heroine, has a pretty steep learning curve in this book, but I think her most important lesson as she tries to make Kepler into someone he's not is that sometimes you just can't improve on the original.

I noticed in your bio that you spent time in England and are now based in South Africa. Do you have a favorite football club and/or player?

RC: I'm married to a hardcore Arsenal fan so I've been thoroughly converted to the way of the Gunner! I like a lot of different players, but my favorite might be surprising: it's Andres Iniesta, who plays midfield for Barcelona. He's not a big, famous goal-scorer, but I love his adaptability on the pitch, his amazing agility and speed, and his uncanny ability to be everywhere at once. He's an intense, fascinating player who I find to be a total thrill to watch.

Why will The Striker’s Chance make a good stocking stuffer for soccer moms?

RC: Well, the cover is pretty easy on the eyes! ;-) The Striker’s Chance is a fun, romantic read that I’d hope would have a lot of appeal for anyone interested in soccer – or for anyone who regularly gets roped into watching the games and wishes there was a little more eye candy on the pitch.

Knowing that an Arsenal diehard with a special place in her heart for the Spanish side is the mastermind behind this work, I can safely predict The Striker’s Chance is a page-turner. To grab and/or gift your copy, go to Carina Press, Amazon, Amazon UK, ARe, Barnes & Noble or Audible.

Know a senior level player of West Indian heritage and/or residency who would like to represent their region in international competition?
The West Indies Football Association is currently seeking players for participation in the 2014 VIVA World Cup, a tournament that pits non-FIFA national teams against each other in competition. Now in its fifth installment, the 2014 competition location has yet to be announced.

Established in June 2013, the West Indies Football Association was created by President James Baird, and a number of football colleagues, who recognized that there are a wealth of talented players slipping through the selection process for national team consideration in their respective countries. Players who desire to be considered for the squad should email their CV and other particular football information to westindiesFA@gmail.com.

With an immediate goal of fielding the senior squad, locating a home ground and securing sponsorship for the team’s participation in next year’s VIVA World Cup, the association team is putting out a call for supporters and sponsors, inside and outside of the region to team up on the effort. It is their hope that, with a solid foundation in place, a youth academy is the anticipated next step in strengthening the West Indies Football Association’s reputation for developing global talent.

" Through football, we can celebrate the humanity of the Southern tip of the African continent and share it with the rest of the continent world,” Madiba
Hours before the historic drawing activities for World Cup 2014 Brazil, let’s take a few moments to honor the icon who tirelessly campaigned for all of humanity to express the best parts of themselves and wielded his power so that the world could enjoy the beautiful game in Africa.

Although I am quite sure there will be a number of articles written about Nelson Mandela’s impact on World Cup 2010 and soccer as a whole, take a walk down memory lane with these three FIFA, Yahoo Sports and BBC articles.

Madiba and Football: A Mutual Love Affair “When he was honoured and cheered by the crowd at Johannesburg’s Soccer City stadium on 11 July 2010, it was as a man of the people, a man of their hearts, and it was one of the most moving moments I have ever experienced.”~ FIFA President Blatter

Mandela and Football: A Tribute "You are the true architect of this FIFA World Cup; your presence and commitment made it happen. Now the first African FIFA World Cup is a reality," explained FIFA President Blatter

Today, Adidas unveiled the ball to be used for the World Cup 2014 matches. With a fun name like Brazuca, it was only fitting that the global brand present its creation to every Brazilian baby born on the day of its coming out party.
Parents will have an opportunity to redeem their newborn’s first soccer gift on December 6th + 7th in one of the twelve host cities by showcasing the child’s birth certificate.

With the goal of celebrating and encouraging charitable activities at the start of the holiday season, #GivingTuesday is an invaluable opportunity for participants and fans of soccer to #GiveanAssist to causes that use the beautiful game to bring social change.
Getting in the game for #GivingTuesday can be as quick as donating a few dollars, sharing an organization’s link or logo with your social network, clicking an Amazon Smile purchase link, volunteering your time/talents on your terms and/or supporting a social enterprise/fair trade brand. The ways you can #GiveanAssist today and the rest of the upcoming year are only limited by your creativity.

Whether you want to team up with a cause in your community or on the other side of the world, our 2013 picks are using soccer to tackle challenges with unique, local and global approaches.

A documentary by award winning director/producer Danny Turken, The Beautiful Game is a story about the impact of soccer on women in South Africa-- who use their love for the sport to challenge gender discrimination, gender-based violence and deep-seated cultural stereotyping-- and demonstrate soccer’s ability to transcend all boundaries and reshape the perception of women throughout the world. Currently in the final days of its Kickstarter post-production campaign, the team is offering a number of unique #GivingTuesday rewards for those who pledge their support before midnight today. Check their funding page at the link above for details.

One World Futbol produces, sells and shares almost indestructible, nondeflatable balls that harness power of play to heal and bring about social change in some of the harshest environments around the globe. Their buy one, give one initiative brings soccer to organizations and individuals that need it most.

Uncharted Play combines sports, science and social innovation to bring its energy-harnessing soccer ball to the children in the developing world. Fifteen minutes of play with the soccer ball provides 3 hours of LED light. With a get one, give one initiative, you have a cool ball to charge your phone and a child abroad has a new light source.

Founded by national sports personality Rashan Ali, Sporty Girls, Inc. provides programming that encourages minority, metro Atlanta girls (age 8 – 18) to participate and achieve success in non-traditional sports, such as soccer, tennis, swimming and golf. Every year, 40 girls are selected to get a taste of collegiate athlete life by participating in a rigorous, overnight camp at local campus.

The U.S. Soccer Foundation is on a mission to enhance, assist and grow the sport of soccer in the United States, with a special emphasis on underserved communities. Through their Soccer for Success, Passback and Safe Places to Play programs, the foundation is making sure unexposed youth are equipped with all of the tools to play the game.

Soccer in the Streets empowers underserved youth through soccer, mentoring, character building and employability programs. In 2013, Soccer in the Streets weekly programming serves 1,300 kids at 16 different metro Atlanta locations and employs 70 participants or graduates as coaches, referees, event staff, or administrators.

With a mantra that “Ending homelessness is a team sport,” Street Soccer USA uses the power of soccer to help homeless men and women dramatically transform their lives. Through their mobile donation initiative, you can support an athlete for ($5) by texting “GOAL” to 80100.

Urban Initiatives’ mission is to empower underserved children to adopt healthy lifestyles, improve their academic performance, and build strong character through sports-based youth development programs.

As the outreach arm of MLS Club DC United, United for D.C. champions educational, health, and recreational programs and events that serve disadvantaged youth of greater Washington, DC by engaging the resources and skills of D.C. United and its community of supporters.

Vega Football is a competitive youth soccer club with a social mission: a free-to-play model that allows kids from underserved communities to access the life-changing, developmental benefits of playing organized soccer.

Have a Happy #GivingTuesday2013!

*Participating in the Amazon Smile program: If you purchase items through the organization’s Amazon Smile link, 0.5% of your purchase will be donated to the organization.

Music plays such an important role in Brazilian culture that it is only fitting that the official slogan of next year’s FIFA World Cup is All in One Rhythm.
To help aspiring musicians and football fans add to the beat of the tournament, Sony will launch a global SuperSong contest on December 2, 2013. Participants will submit original song proposals for the opportunity to have your music selected, recorded, performed by Ricky Martin and included on the official FIFA World Cup 2014 album.

Here’s a link to the announcement with all of the contest details: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=2224063/index.html

For those who do decide to enter, please let me know so we can show our support!

What was that one chant, mantra or phrase that helped you win the game?
In honor of World Cup 2014, the “Be There with Hyundai Contest” is helping fans use word power to energize their national team with a global slogan competition.

Get creative and come up with a motivational slogan that will inspire your team to raise the trophy on July 11th. One entry for each national team will be selected to appear on the respective team bus for the entirety of the global tournament. Deadline for entries is February 27, 2014.

To learn how to enter: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/be-there-with-hyundai